On Friday, Mylene Drouin, head of public health in Montreal, told reporters that early next week, her office will be reviewing smartphone applications that can trace COVID-19 infections. The new application created by Mila is on her list, Valerie Pisano, the institute’s CEO and app project lead, confirmed in an interview.Pisano said she didn’t know whether the Quebec government was ready to choose their application.
Governments around the world are considering how to monitor new coronavirus outbreaks while reopening their societies, and many are starting to bet on smartphone apps. Every app user with whom an infected person came into contact will receive an alert on their phone, giving them a recommendation based on their individual level of risk, Pisano said.The app will be able to calculate several different risk factors, including how long a user stayed in the presence of someone who has tested positive for the virus.
Pisano said app users will need to consent in order for their data to be sent to a centralized server run by artificial intelligence and managed by a non-profit organization created by Mila “that is completely independent from government.” The public data will then allow authorities to know, “probably two or five days in advance” where an outbreak will occur because the app will be able to track whether people’s individual risks are increasing in certain parts of the city, she said.
No thanks
Intrusive